Neverwhere an angel's delight at Progress Theatre
Shakila Barabhuiya • Published 20 Jan 2012 11:30
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Tales of the underground: Old Bailey, played by Liz Carroll, in The Progress Theatre's production of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere.
THE UK premier of Neil Gaiman's Neverwhere would certainly not disappoint fans of the acclaimed urban fantasy.
Having only got halfway through the novel before the opening night's performance, I was intrigued to find out how the magical adventure would finish and how it would cope with the dizzying array of locations.
But my fears were immediately allayed with a complex but simple-looking set where it was easy to follow the swift location changes.
Neverwhere plunges the audience into the dark, magical world of London Below where protagonist Richard Mayhew, played by the excellent Dan Clarke, leads a normal life in London until he stops to help an injured woman.
This starts the chain of events that catapults him into the dangerous but alluring London Below.
The Floating Market was a prime example of how well the locations were crafted complete with tradesmen and women selling all manner of goods, from birds or knowledge to nightmares and useless rubbish.
London landmarks are explored as never before with a Night's Bridge, an Earl's Court and the Blackfriars all in use.
There is the creepy Angel Islington and even a Hammersmith at the Floating Market in addition to ghostly smoke-tentacled things which live in the gap between tube trains and the platforms, bringing a whole new meaning to the old adage 'mind the gap'.
The swashbuckling Marquis de Carabas, played by the enthusiastic Ian Belcher, provides good humour throughout with the biggest laughs reserved for the assassin duo Mister Croup (Alex McCubbin) and Mister Vandemar (Craig Daniels).
It was an ambitious undertaking by Director Rik Eke especially on a small stage, with a large cast and a vast number of locations but the production is remarkable for staying true to the story and giving an insight into Neil Gaiman's world.
The play runs until January 28 with performances at 7.45pm.
Matinee performances are on Saturday, January 21, and Saturday, January 28, at 2.30pm.
For tickets call Progress Theatre box office on 0118 960 6060 or visit www.progresstheatre.co.uk
This article appeared in Reading Chronicle 20 Jan 12
Have your say. Post a comment on this article.
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Weird Science
Unregistered User
Jan 22, 13:07
Report commentGreat PR from Progess; the website has been down since the article went up...
Recommend?
Yes 5
No 1
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******
Jan 22, 16:01
Report commentThis comment has been removed by a moderator
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Grim Jim
Unregistered User
Jan 23, 21:27
Report commentNeverwhere is a strange choice of Gaiman's work and one would imagine it was chosen simply for reasons of length. Sandman would have been wonderful but at 75 issues perhaps a tad impractical...
Recommend? Yes 2
No 0
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Mollymay
Unregistered User
Jan 26, 16:35
Report commentwebsite has been down since the article went up...
Apparently because it's Sold Out!
Although there may just be returns 'on the door'.
Recommend? Yes 0
No 0
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